Star Trek: Maltz
by Mark Lopa
Summary: What every happened to Maltz, the lone Klingon survivor from the battle on the Genesis Planet? Now find out...


**Star Trek: Maltz  
The Vulcan Detation**

By Mark Lopa

It had been three months since Kirk's captured Klingon vessel landed on Vulcan, and more importantly three months since Spock began the retraining of his mind. Kirk didn't know if Spock would ever be the same. Would he be a hard-nosed Vulcan like Sarek? Kirk certainly hoped not. He wanted his friend back. He had paid the price with the loss of his ship and his son. Call it a selfish human emotion, but Kirk wanted something in return.

In the meantime, with the time to leave Vulcan and return to Earth looming, Kirk faced another problem. He had no idea what to do with his Klingon captive, Maltz. Since Vulcan has no prisoner of war capabilities, Maltz had been housed in the security ward of the Earth Embassy. Ever since the attack on the embassy two centuries ago, an interrogation and holding complex was built in case of any more incidents. The Vulcans strongly opposed having such a thing in an embassy, but after those events, their arguments only went so far…especially considering Vulcan ambassador to Earth Suval agreed with the humans. To compromise, the holding area was designed to support some of the essential elements of independent living. Since Kirk and his crew arrived at Vulcan, it had been Maltz's home.

Kirk had not gone to see Maltz. He didn't want anything to do with the Klingon. It was Maltz who killed Kirk's son, and Kirk wasn't sure how he would react to him. Kirk didn't know on their way to Vulcan it was Maltz who killed David, otherwise Kirk may have killed Maltz right there on the Bird of Prey bridge the moment he faced him, instead of sparing his life. It was Saavik's idea not to tell Kirk until they arrived to Vulcan. Although Kirk was furious when he found out, he understood Saavik's logic and later told her he would have followed the same course of action.

Maltz had behaved himself for the three months he was on Vulcan. The staff that tended to him was certainly surprised. He was very frustrated by not knowing what his fate would be, but was told that would be dealt with once Kirk left Vulcan. The officials did not want anything to happen while Kirk was still on the planet.

The days had become boring for Maltz, and he contemplated suicide from time to time. His honor was shattered. He could no longer serve the Klingon Empire. The murder of one weakling human meant nothing to him or the Empire. There was no way to redeem himself. He could never go back to the Empire.

One of the staffers walked to Maltz's door and beeped him over. Maltz came around from the other room and faced the human. "You have a visitor, Maltz."

_A visitor?_ Maltz thought. _Who could it possibly be?_

Rounding the corner to face Maltz through the ventilated security door was Admiral Kirk. Maltz actually stepped back the second he saw Kirk, which Kirk noticed and was surprised by the action, but didn't show it. Kirk told the staff member to open the door so he could talk to Maltz face-to-face.

"Sir," the staff member said, "by orders of Starfleet and the President of the United Federation of Planets, he is not to be harmed."

Kirk turned to the man and gave him a look that made him feel like a little boy. He quickly opened the door for Kirk, and after Kirk walked in and turned to the man again, he closed the door and scurried away.

Kirk and Maltz stared at each other for quite some time, and neither moved. It was almost like a standoff, or a game of chicken, to see who would talk first.

"You should have killed me on the ship," Maltz said,

"I didn't know," Kirk responded quickly.

Maltz hardened his eyes. "Didn't know _what?_"

"That it was you who murdered my son."

Maltz's eyes were not so hard anymore. Maltz had no idea the human he killed was Admiral Kirk's son. He wished he had known at the time. It would have been glorious and worthy of a celebration. But somehow, he simply didn't know, and nobody ever told him. For some reason, though, the importance of knowing at the time of the killing did not seem that strong now.

"I did not know it was your son," Maltz said with no emotion.

The Klingon again surprised Kirk. Thinking back, he was sure the looks Maltz gave him on the Bird of Prey was his way of bragging about what he did. But that wasn't the case at all.

"Why have you come here?" Maltz demanded.

Kirk pulled out a knife. Maltz didn't move. He would have been fine with Kirk killing him right there. It would end his miserable existence in the Earthling prison, and it would have been honorable for this human to kill the killer of his kin.

"I'm not going to kill you," Kirk said. "I'm giving you this knife so you can kill yourself."

"So I can kill myself?"

"Yes," Kirk said. "I know all about you Klingons and your honor. You would rather be dead than be a prisoner of humans on Vulcan. These people here are not allowing you to be touched or put yourself at risk. But they're paper pushers. They don't know what it's like to be in battle. I'm giving you the opportunity to do what's honorable for you, and to allow me the satisfaction of my son's killer to die in front of me."

Maltz looked at the knife and back up at Kirk. His hands didn't move towards the knife Kirk was offering.

"If I take that knife, the first thing I will do is kill you," Maltz said.

"No it won't," Kirk countered.

"And how can you be so sure, human?"

Kirk tensed his face. "First of all, it's _Admiral_. Second, if that were your intension, you wouldn't have told me. Either that, or you are trying to prevent me from giving you the knife."

"Why would I do that?"

Kirk paused for a moment. "Three minutes ago, I wouldn't have a clue. But now I know. I'm sure of it."

"And what would that be, _Admiral_?"

"Simple," Kirk said. "You don't want to die." Kirk put the knife away.

"Ha! How could you possibly know what I want or don't want?"

"I trust my instincts, Maltz. You are unlike any Klingon I have encountered."

Maltz was confused. Was this a human trick of some kind, with an objective that was completely oblivious to him? Or was Kirk actually trying to talk with him?

"You are correct. I am the only Klingon that is imprisoned by humans."

Kirk shook his head. "That's not what I meant at all, although I don't see how you can call this imprisonment after the dungeons you have built."

Maltz stood and stared at Kirk. He certainly couldn't argue about that fact.

"You know Maltz, you and I are very much alike."

Maltz laughed instantly and leaned his head back. It was the first movement he made since Kirk entered the room. He straitened up and looked back at Kirk.

"How are you and I _anything _alike?"

"We both have to live with torture for the rest of our lives. Look at you, Maltz. Forget about your surroundings or what you're wearing or anything superficial like that. Look inside. By not dying with your crew and being captured by humans, you have disgraced your name and the Klingon Empire. Am I correct?"

Maltz just stared at Kirk with a look that screamed, "yes" louder than any word could.

"You are to be tortured by that fact for the rest of your life. I, on the other hand, heard my son die and was not able to say goodbye. It was my interference that most likely caused his death. I will never be able to see him or talk with him or…anything. I will be tortured by that fact for the rest of my life."

"The two are not comparable," Maltz argued. "Honor is nothing like kin."

Kirk pointed his finger at Maltz. "That's where you're wrong. What's the most important thing in a Klingon's life? The one thing he cherishes for his entire life, and the one thing he will protect with his life?"

"Honor!" Maltz said without hesitation.

"Exactly," Kirk said. "And do you know what the most important thing to humans is, that we cherish for our entire lives and that we will protect with our life?"

Maltz looked at Kirk. It seemed like he wanted to answer, but the absurdity of what he would say prevented it.

"Family," Kirk said.

"Impossible," Maltz said. "There are more important things than family…unless you are talking about family _name_ and _honor._"

"No, that's not what I mean. Humans couldn't care less what others think of them and their families. To us, that's superficial. What we care about is the time we share with our families, and the love we have for them. Everything we do, we do for our families."

Maltz was trying to understand. What was the difference between family and family honor? It's the same thing. But then, he thought of something. "Family" as Kirk was talking about was a tangible thing…the actual people in the family. "Family" that Maltz was talking about was the perception of the unit based on actions in the bloodline. The thought was completely foreign to him. However, if Kirk and all humans truly value their family members the same way he values family honor, then what happened on the Genesis Planet has an entirely new meaning."

"To Klingons," Maltz said, "it would have been honorable to lose a son in battle. Although your son was no match for me, he fought back. He gave his life to save others. That is truly honorable. That is something I would be proud of as a father, and not be tortured by it…as a Klingon. But…for you…"

"…I wouldn't care less what my son did to survive," Kirk continued, "even if it meant him running away so he would not be killed. My son meant everything to me…more than my career, more than my friends and collogues…more than my own life. Stripping him away from me would be like stripping your honor away."

_Which it has been,_ Maltz thought. He thought some more for what seemed like a long time. He had trouble looking in to Kirk's eyes, but he met them.

"I'm not saying things would have been different had I known this about humans, or that he was your son" Maltz said. "We are at war, and I did what I was ordered to do. But Kirk…Admiral…"

Maltz paused.

"…if I caused you the internal pain that I now feel for the loss of my honor…"

Maltz paused again.

"…then I am sorry."

Kirk could have been blown over by a feather. Did he hear that correctly? Did a Klingon just _apologize_ to him?

The two stood in silence for much more than a long minute. Kirk was recovering from the shock of his son's murderer offering his regret for the effects of what he did. He did not apologize for killing David, but for what killing him had done to Kirk. That was amazing coming from a Klingon. Then Kirk put himself in Maltz's shoes. What had been taken from him, and who did it?

"Had we not come to Genesis, your commander and crew would not have been killed. You would probably still be on that Bird of Prey, serving under Krudge, and upholding your honor. I'm not saying I would have done anything different when facing certain death, but…I am sorry that I am the person responsible for you being stripped of your honor.

Maltz closed his eyes and slowly nodded at Kirk. When he opened his eyes, Kirk nodded back at Maltz.

"What the hell just happened here?" Kirk asked.

Maltz was confused. "I do not understand."

Kirk shook his head. "Let me put it this way. Is it possible that a human and a Klingon have ever had this kind of conversation before?"

"It is not possible," Maltz said. "The human would not have lived to tell the story, and the Klingon certainly would never speak of it."

Kirk almost laughed. He's a Klingon, no doubt about it.

"I agree," Kirk said. "But we just had an understanding here. I more understand what honor means to Klingons, and you…it would seem…know a little about what is important to humans."

Maltz paused for a few seconds.

"Yes."

Maltz said it so dry that Kirk laughed. "Don't get all excited, I'm not going to ask you to join me for a beer or something."

"A beer?"

"Nevermind. I don't think beer is even made anymore. But if I may be so bold, I think we may have proved that understanding between our two people could be possible, if done the right away and not with phasers and torpedoes."

"That is _very_ bold. But I would have a difficult time arguing with you."

Kirk nodded. "I don't even remember why I really came here, or if I really did have a reason, but the ship to take me back to Earth is waiting and…"

"Admiral?" Maltz interrupted.

"Yes?'

"What…is to become of me?"

Kirk sighed. "I don't know. Starfleet actually wants my recommendation on that, even after everything I have done. But, I can tell you I will certainly not say what I thought I would have said some minutes ago. I'll speak on your behalf."

Maltz looked at Kirk. It was the closest he was going to get to a "thank you."

"And when I have time, I'll come back and maybe we can sort this all out. I think there is more we can discuss. You may be a unique Klingon and all the rest are the stereotype I have burned in my soul. I'd like to find out, at least."

Maltz paused. "I would welcome such a visit."

Kirk smiled and turned. Just as he was about to call to be let out, he spun back in Maltz's direction.

"By the way, what have you been doing during the time you've been cooped up here?"

Maltz pointed to a book that was on a table in the room. "I have been reading, especially the works of your famous author Shakespeare. They try to tell us that the original Shakespeare was Klingon, but…no Klingon could write like that. I have been finding the time spending reading the original English is…time well spent."

_A poetic Klingon?_ Kirk thought. _That's something new._

"Then carry on, Maltz. I'll see you."

Maltz watched as Kirk was lead out of the room and turned out of view. He looked down at the book, and then back in the direction of where Kirk had been and nodded his head.

"Maybe I _do_ deserve to live."


End file.
